IMAGE  EVALUATION 
TEST  TARGET  (MT-3) 


1.0     ^1^  li£ 

S  Bi   ■■ 
£  lii   12.0 


1.1 


^     ^ 


>* 


Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


33  WIST  MAIN  STIHT 

WnSTIR,N.Y.  14SM 

(716)  ■73-4503 


CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


ClHM/iCIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Inatituta  for  Hiatorical  Microraprodiictlona  /  Inatltut  Canadian  da  microraproductiona  liiatoriquaa 


;\ 


Tachnical  and  Bibliographic  Notaa/Notas  tachniquaa  at  bibiiographiquas 


Tha  inatituta  haa  attamptad  to  obtain  tha  baat 
original  copy  availabia  for  filming.  Faaturaa  of  thia 
copy  which  may  ba  bibliographically  uniqua, 
which  may  altar  any  of  tha  imagaa  in  tha 
raproduction,  or  which  may  aignif  icantly  changa 
tha  uaual  mathod  of  filming,  ara  chackad  balow. 


D 


D 


D 


D 


Colourad  covara/ 
Couvartura  da  coulaur 


I     I   Covara  damagad/ 


Couvartura  andommagAa 

Covara  raatorad  and/or  laminatad/ 
Couvartura  raataurte  at/ou  paliiculAa 

Covar  titia  miaaing/ 

La  titra  da  couvartura  manqua 

Colourad  mapa/ 

Cartaa  gtographiquas  an  coulaur 

Colourad  ink  (i.a.  othar  than  blua  or  black)/ 
Encre  da  coulaur  (i.a.  autra  qua  blaua  ou  noira) 


□   Colourad  plataa  and/or  iiluatrationa/ 
Planchaa  at/ou  iiluatrationa  an  coulaur 

□    Bound  with  othar  matarial/ 
RaliA  avac  d'autraa  documanta 


Tight  binding  may  cauaa  ahadowa  or  diatortlon 
along  intarior  margin/ 

Lareliura  sarrAa  paut  cauaar  da  I'ombra  ou  da  la 
diatortlon  la  long  da  la  marga  IntAriaura 

Blank  laavaa  addad  during  raatoration  may 
appaar  within  tha  taxt.  Whanavar  poaaibia,  thaaa 
hava  baan  omittad  from  filming/ 
II  aa  paut  qua  cartainaa  paqaa  blanchaa  aJoutAaa 
lora  d'una  raatauration  apparaiaaant  dana  la  taxta, 
mala,  loraqua  caia  Atait  poaaibia,  caa  pagaa  n'ont 
paa  AtA  fiimAaa. 

Additional  conunanta:/ 
Commantairaa  aupplAmantairaa: 


L'Inatitut  a  microfilm^  la  malilaur  axampiaira 
qu'il  lui  a  At*  poaaibia  da  aa  procurer.  Laa  dAtaila 
da  cat  axampiaira  qui  aont  paut-itra  unlquaa  du 
point  da  vua  bibliographiqua,  qui  pauvant  modifiar 
una  imaga  raproduita,  ou  qui  pauvant  axigar  una 
modification  dana  la  mAthoda  normala  da  filmaga 
aont  Indiqute  ci-daaaoua. 


I     I  Colourad  pagaa/ 


Pagaa  da  coulaur 

Pagaa  damagad/ 
Pagaa  andommagAaa 

Pagaa  raatorad  and/oi 

Pagaa  raataurAaa  at/ou  palliculAaa 

Pagaa  diacolourad,  atainad  or  foxai 
Pagaa  dAcolorAaa,  tachatAaa  ou  piquAaa 


I — I   Pagaa  damagad/ 

I — I   Pagaa  raatorad  and/or  laminatad/ 

rri   Pagaa  diacolourad,  atainad  or  foxad/ 


Tha 
toti 


Tha 
poai 
ofti 
filml 


Orig 

bagi 

tha 

aion 

oth€ 

firat 

aion 

or  III 


□   Pagaa  datachad/ 
Pagaa  dAtachAaa 

0Showthrough/ 
Tranaoaranca 


Tranaparanca 

Quality  of  prir 

QualitA  InAgaia  da  I'impraaalon 

Incluciaa  aupplamantary  matarli 
Comprand  du  material  aupplAmantaira 

Only  adition  availabia/ 
Saula  Edition  diaponibia 


I     I   Quality  of  print  variaa/ 

I     I   Incluciaa  aupplamantary  matarial/ 

r~1   Only  adition  availabia/ 


D 


Pagaa  wholly  or  partially  obacurad  by  arrata 
allpa.  tiaauaa,  ate,  hava  baan  rafilmad  to 
anaura  tha  baat  poaaibia  imaga/ 
Laa  pagaa  totalamant  ou  partlallamant 
obacurciaa  par  un  fauillat  d'arrata,  una  palura. 
ate,  ont  At*  fiimAaa  A  nouvaau  da  fapon  A 
obtanir  la  malllaura  imaga  poaaibia. 


Tha 
ahall 
TINI 
whit 

Map 
diff« 
antii 
bagI 
right 
raqu 
mat! 


Thia  itam  ia  fllmad  at  tha  raduction  ratio  chackad  balow/ 

Ca  documant  aat  film*  au  taux  da  reduction  IndiquA  ci-daaaoua 

10X                          14X                          18X                          22X 

aix 

30X 

" 

/ 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

TIm  copy  fUmad  hmr*  has  bean  raproduoMl  thanks 
to  tiM  gMMTMity  of: 

Library  of  th(»  Public 
Archivat  of  'Canada 


L'axamplaira  fiimA  fut  raproduit  grioa  k  la 
gAn4roalti  da: 

La  bibiiotltiqua  da*  Archivas 
pubiiquas  du  Canada 


Tha  imagaa  appaaring  hara  ara  tha  bast  quality 
posslbia  conaMaring  tha  condMoA  and  laglbility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  spacif icationa. 


Laa  imagaa  auhrantas  ont  4t4  raproduitaa  avac  la 
plua  grand  soin.  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattati  da  l'axamplaira  film*,  at  an 
conformit*  avac  las  conditions  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 


Original  copias  in  printad  papar  covara  ara  filmad 
baginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  anding  on 
tha  last  paga  with  a  printad  or  illuatratad  impras- 
sion,  or  tha  back  covar  whan  approprlata.  All 
othar  original  copiaa  ara  filmad  baginning  on  tha 
first  paga  with  a  printad  or  illuatratad  impraa- 
sion.  and  anding  on  tha  laat  paga  with  a  printad 
or  illuatratad  impraasion. 


Tha  laat  racordad  frama  on  aach  microficha 
shall  contain  tha  aymbol  ^^-  (maaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  tha  symbol  ▼  (meaning  "END"), 
whichavar  appliaa. 


Laa  axamplairaa  originaux  dont  la  couvartura  an 
papiar  ast  ImprimAa  sont  filmte  an  commandant 
par  la  pramlar  plat  at  an  tarminant  soit  por  la 
darnlAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration,  aoit  par  la  sacond 
plat,  aalon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autras  axamplairaa 
originaux  sont  filmto  an  comman9ant  par  la 
pramlAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  amprainta 
d'imprassion  ou  d'illustration  at  an  tarminant  par 
la  darnlAra  paga  qui  comporta  una  talla 
amprainta. 

Un  daa  symbolaa  suivants  apparaftra  sur  la 
darnlAra  imaga  da  chaqua  microficha,  salon  la 
caa:  la  symbols  >►  signifia  "A  SUIVRE",  la 
symbols  ▼  aignifia  "FIN". 


Maps,  platas,  charts,  ate,  may  ba  filmad  at 
diffarant  raduction  ratios.  Thosa  too  larga  to  ba 
antiraly  includad  in  ona  axposura  ara  filmad 
baginning  in  tha  uppar  laft  hand  corner,  laft  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  aa  many  framas  aa 
raquirad.  Tha  following  diagrama  illustrata  tha 
mathod: 


Laa  cartas,  planchas,  tablaaux,  ate,  pauvant  Atra 
fllmia  i  daa  taux  da  rMuction  diffiranfs. 
Lorsqua  la  document  aat  trap  grand  pour  Atra 
raproduit  an  un  saui  cliche,  il  aat  filmA  i  partir 
da  I'angla  supArisur  gaucha,  da  gaucha  i  droita, 
at  da  haut  an  bas,  an  pranant  la  nombra 
d'imagas  n4caaaaira.  Laa  diagrammas  suivants 
illuatrant  la  mtthoda. 


1  2  3 


32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS; 


THEIR  TREATIES  OF  1713  &  1717,  AND  A  VOCABUURY: 


WITH  A 


HISTORICAL   INTRODUCTION. 


BV 


FREDERIC  KIDDER,  OF  BOSTON. 


PORTLAND: 


PBINTED    BY    BROWN    THURSTON. 

18  5  9. 


THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


The  present  spirit  of  inquiry  into  the  early  history  of 
New  England  is  bringing  forth  additional  facts  and  evolving 
new  light,  by  which  we  are  every  day  seeing  more  clearly 
the  true  motive  and  incentives  for  its  colonization.  But 
whenever  the  student  turns  to  investigate  the  history  of  the 
aboriginal  tribes,  who  once  inhabited  this  part  of  the  coun- 
try, he  is  struck,  not  so  much  with  the  paucity  of  materials, 
as  with  the  complication  and  difficulties  which  our  earlier 
and  later  writers  have  thrown  around  the  subject,  as  well 
as  the  very  different  light  with  which  they  have  viewed  it. 

The  first  explorers  of  our  coast,  whose  intercourse  with 
the  Indians  was  limited  to  trading  for  furs  and  skins,  seem 
to  have  had  a  much  better  opinion  of  them  than  Mather, 
Hubbard,  and  some  still  later  writers.  It  is  not  to  be  sup- 
posed that  while  l  large  part  of  the  population  were  smart- 
ing from  the  distress  of  almost  continued  Indian  wars,  that 
even  the  most  candid  could  coolly  investigate,  and  impar- 
tially record  the  history,  character,  and  wants  of  such  a 
people.  But  the  time  has  arrived,  when,  divesting  ourselves 
of  aH  prejudice,  we  can  examine  carefully  their  true  situa- 
tion, and  making  allowance  for  their  condition,  write  their 
history  with  fairness  and  candor. 

The  present  sketch  is  confined  to  a  brief  notice  of  the 
tribes  who  inhabited  the   territory  now  constituting  the 


THE  ABENAKI   INDIANS. 


!i! 


States  of  Maine  and  New  Hampshire,  all  of  which  may  be 
considered  as  embraced  under  the  name  of  Abenakis,  or 
more  properly  Wanbanakkie.  It  has  often  been  supposed 
that  this  name  was  given  them  by  the  French,  but  it  is  un- 
doubtedly their  original  appellation,  being  derived  from 
Wanbanban,  which  may  be  defined  the  people  of  aurora 
borealis  or  northern  light. 

It  is  only  now  intended  to  sketch  their  earlier  history, 
and  to  trace  the  various  emigrations  to  the  present  resi- 
dence of  the  Abenakis  proper,  in  Canada ;  and  viewing  this 
tribe  as  the  living  representative  of  our  extinct  ones,  to 
consider  its  interesting  history,  so  clearly  connected  with 
New  England  frontier  life,  although  most  of  that  history  is 
but  a  record  of  war  and  wretchedness. 

The  celebrated  discoverer,  Capt.  John  Smith,  in  his  gen- 
eral history,  furnishes  the  earliest  and  most  reliable  descrip* 
tion  of  the  Indians  on  the  coast  of  Maine,  as  they  were  in 
1614;  other  writers  give  accounts  of  tribes  there,  some  of 
which  it  is  difficult  to  distinguish  or  locate ;  but  it  may  be 
best  to  consider  all  that  were  residing  in  the  two  States 
above-mentioned  as  embraced  in  about  eight  distinct  tribes, 
namely:  Penobscots  or  Tarrentines,  Passamaquodies  or 
Sybayks,  Wawenocks,  Norridgewoks  or  Canibas,  Assagun- 
ticooks,  Sokokis  or  Pequakets,  Penndcooks,  Malacites  or  St. 
Johns. 

The  Penobscots  ^  were  probably  the  most  numerous  and 
influential  tribe.  Their  chief  or  bashaba  was  said  to  have 
been  acknowledged  as  a  superior  as  far  as  Massachusetts 
Bay.  They  occupied  the  country  on  both  sides  of  the  Pe- 
nobscot Bay  and  River ;  their  summer  resort  being  near  the 
sea,  but  during  the  winter  and  spring  they  inhabited  lands 


i'! 


1  For  a  pleasant  and  very  well-written  account  of  this  tribe,  by  Hon.  Lo» 
renzo  Sabine,  see  the  Christian  Examiner  for  1857. 


THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


near  the  falls,  where  they  still  reside.  It  is  somewhat 
strange  to  find  a  tribe  numbering  about  five  hundred  still 
remaining  in  their  ancient  abode,  and,  though  surrounded  by 
whites,  retaining  their  language,  religion,  and  many  of  the 
habits  and  customs  of  centuries  past,  with  a  probability  of 
perpetuating  them  for  ages  to  come.  Their  name  is  from 
penobsq,  rock,  and  ulorct,  a  place,  literally,  rocky-place,  — 
which  no  doubt  refers  to  the  rocky  falls  in  the  river  near 
their  residence.  It  is  not  supposed  that  many  of  this  tribe 
emigrated  to  Canada,  although  they  had  constant  inter- 
course with  that  country. 

Tlie  Faasamaquodies  were  found  occupying  the  northeast- 
ern corner  of  Maine,  if,  as  it  is  generally  supposed,  they 
are  the  descendants  of  those  seen  and  described  by  De 
Monts,  who  spent  the  winter  of  1604  near  their  present 
head-quarters.  Their  subsequent  history  for  more  than  a 
century  was  but  a  blank,  as  in  all  that  time  they  are  not 
mentioned  by  any  writer,  or  named  in  any  of  the  treaties, 
till  after  the  conquest  of  Canada.  This  omission  is  cer- 
tainly strange,  as  in  the  ones  of  1713  and  1717  now  pub- 
lished in  this  volume,  mere  fragments  of  tribes  are  named 
and  represented. 

Still,  if  an}  reliance  can  be  placed  on  their  own  traditions, 
they  had  reside'  for  generations  previous  to  the  Revolution 
around  the  lowt  lichoodic  Lake,  where  the  recent  discovery 
of  stone  hatchets  and  other  implements  of  an  ancient  make 
would  seem  to  verify  their  assertions.  They  also  point  out 
the  place  of  a  fight  with  the  Mohawks,  who  two  centuries 
ago  carried  terror  into  all  the  Indian  villages  from  Carolina 
to  the  Bay  of  Fundy.  It  is  probable  that  from  their  dis- 
tant inland  and  secluded  position,  as  well  as  their  limited 
numbers,  they  were  in  no  way  connected  with  the  various 
wars  which  the  other  tribes  waged  against  the  colonists, 
and  so  were  unnoticed.    As  their  residence  on  the  lake  was 


\W 


6 


THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


nearer  Machias  than  any  other  available  point  on  the  sea 
coast,  it  may  be  that  to  trade  with  this  people  the  trading 
house  was  established  there  by  the  Plymouth  Colony,  in 
1630,  and  they  were  often  called  the  Machias  Indians.  Al- 
though their  intercouroO  has  long  continued  with  Canada,  up 
to  this  time  they  have  uent  no  emigrants  there.  They  num- 
ber at  present  between  four  and  five  hundred  souls,  and 
still  adhere  to  the  religious  forms  taught  them  by  the  Jes- 
uits. This  tribe  designate  themselves  by  the  name  of  Sy- 
bayk.  ^ 

The  Wawenocks  were  located  on  the  sea-coast,  and  in- 
habited tho  country  from  the  Shccpscot  to  the  St.  George ; 
they  are  quite  fully  described  by  Capt.  John  Smith,  who 
had  much  intercourse  with  them.  From  their  situation  on 
the  rivers  and  harbors,  they  were  much  sooner  disturbed  by 
the  settlements  than  any  other  of  the  tribes  in  Maine.  In 
1747  there  were  but  a  few  families  remaining.  At  the 
treaty  at  Falmouth,  in  1749,  they  were  associated  with  the 
Assagunticooks,  among  whom  they  were  then  settled,  and 
with  whom  they  soon  after  removed  to  Canada.  The  Cani- 
bas  or  Norridgewoks  occupied  the  valley  of  the  Kennebec, 
from  the  tide  water  to  its  sources ;  their  principal  residence 
was  at  Norridgewock.  Here  the  Jesuit  missionaries,  at  an 
early  period,  taught  them  their  religious  faith,  and  by  shar- 
ing with  them  their  privations  and  hardships,  obtained  a 
controlling  influence  over  them. 

As  they  inhabited  fertile  intervale  land,  they  gave  more 
attention  to  agriculture  than  any  of  the  neighboring  tribes, 
and  appear  to  have  been  originally  more  peaceably  inclined 
towards  the  whites  than  some  of  their  neighbors.  Residing 
so  far  inland,  they  were  but  little  acquainted  with  the  prow- 


1  Mr.  Sabine  has  ^ven  their  history  in  a  truthful  and  friendly  communica- 
tion to  the  Christian  Examiner  for  1852. 


THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


OSS  of  the  whites,  and  sent  out  their  war  parties  to  commit 
murders  and  depredations  on  the  unprotected  settlers,  with- 
out expecting  a  retribution  on  their  own  heads.  After  a 
long  succession  of  murders  and  captures  in  the  English 
settlements,  by  this  tribe,  instigated,  as  was  believed,  by 
their  priest,  Sebastian  Rasle,  an  expedition  was  sent  against 
them,  consisting  of  about  two  hundred  men,  who  killed 
about  thirty  Indians,  including  Rasle,  and  destroyed  the 
place,  without  the  loss  of  a  man.  This  broke  their  power, 
but  they  continued  to  reside  there  for  many  years,  and  grad- 
ually retired  to  the  St.  Francis,  —  the  last  family  migrating 
near  the  end  of  the  last  century. 

The  Assagunticooks  were  a  numerous  tribe  who  inhabited 
the  country  along  the  whole  valley  of  the  Androscoggin; 
and  although  their  lands  were  not  occupied  by  whites,  they 
were  frequently  bitter  enemies,  and  were  the  first  to  begin 
a  war  and  the  last  to  make  peace.  Their  location  gave 
them  easy  access  to  the  settlements,  from  Casco  to  Piscata- 
qua,  which  they  improved  to  glut  their  thirst  for  blood  and 
slaughter.  About  1750  they  moved  to  Canada  and  joined 
the  St.  Francis  tribe.  They  could  then  muster  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  warriors,  and  being  much  the  most  numer- 
ous tribe  that  emigrated  there,  it  is  supposed  they  had  the 
greatest  influence,  and  that  their  dialect  is  more  truly  per- 
petuated than  any  other  in  that  confederacy. 

The  Sokokis  inhabited  the  country  bordering  on  the  Saco 
River,  but  were  mostly  limited  to  its  head  waters.  Their 
villages  were  located  on  the  alluvial  lands  in  what  is  now 
Fryeburg,  Me.,  and  Conway,  N.  H.  The  Pegwakets  and 
Oasipees  were  either  identical  with  or  branches  of  this 
tribe.  In  1725  Capt.  John  Lovewell  with  about  fifty  sol- 
diers, on  a  scouting  adventure  in  the  vicinity,  fell  in  with  a 
war  party  of  the  tribe,  and  a  sanguinary  battle  ensued,  dis- 
astrous to  both  parties.    Their  chief,  Paugus,  was  slain  ] 


Ill 


8 


THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


.1 1  I 


\\i 


and  within  a  short  period  the  remainder  of  the  tribe,  dispir- 
ited by  their  misfortunes,  retired  to  Canada. 

The  Pennacooks  were  probably  the  only  occupants  of  the 
waters  of  the  Merrimac,  and  perhaps  included  nearly  all  the 
nations  who  resided  in  what  is  now  the  State  of  New  Hamp- 
shire.    Thejr  principal  residence  was  at  Amoskeag  Falls, 
the  site  of  the  present  manufacturing  city  of  Manchester. 
It  is  usual  to  name  the  Pennatuckets,  Wambesitts,  Souhe- 
gans,  and  some  others  as  tribes,  but  there  can  be  no  doubt 
they  all  owned  fealty  to  the  head  sagamore  of  the  Pennacooks, 
and  were  only  branches  of  that  tribe,  as  were  all  the  In- 
dians on  the  Piscataqua  and  its  waters.    It  is  also  probable 
the  small  band  of  Cowasacks,  on  the  upper  Connecticut, 
were  of  this  tribe.     The  Pennacooks  must  have  been  at  one 
time  a  numerous  community,  and  were  less  warlike  than 
any  of  the  Abenaki  race.     It  is  likely  they  were  more  dis 
posed  to  cultivate  the  soil,  and  their  historian,  Judge  Pot 
ter,  represents  them  as  amiable  and  friendly  to  the  whites 
Notwithstanding,  they  were  the  earliest  emigrants  to  Can 
ada.     They  left  their  pleasant  hunting  grounds  with  regretj 
and  often  returned  to  cultivate  their  ancient  fields ;  but  few 
of  them  resided  permanently  there  after  about  1700. 

It  is  proper  to  add  to  the  names  of  the  original  Abenaki 
tribes,  that  of  the  Malacite  or  Amalecite,  who  have  always 
resided  on  the  St.  John.  It  is  not  known  that  any  part  of 
this  tribe  emigrated  to  Canada  with  those  of  Maine,  but  in 
1828  about  thirty  families  emigrated  there,  and  settled  on  a 
branch  of  the  River  Verte.  But  the  largest  part  still  reside 
in  New  Brunswick. 

We  come  now  to  trace  the  emigration  of  the  Abenakis 
to  the  banks  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  As  the  Jesuits  had  been 
in  constant  communication  with  the  tribes  in  Maine  for  more 
than  half  a  century,  the  Indians  had  learned  the  way  to 
Quebec,  and  it  is  probable  that  during  Philip's  war  some  of 


w 


THE  ABENiVKI  INDIANS. 


9 


the  tribes  obtained  arms  and  ammunition  from  that  place. 
During  this  war  the  Pennacooks,  under  the  influence  of  their 
chief,  Wonnolancet,  had  remained  neutral,  and  in  July,  1676, 
at  Chocheco,  signed  with  some  others  a  treaty  of  perpetual 
peace.  Still,  the  feeling  of  the  whites  was  so  strong  against 
all  the  race,  that  thej  placed  little  reliance  on  their  former 
good  conduct  or  present  promises.  A  few  months  after 
this  treaty,  they  induced  a  large  number  of  Indians,  from 
the  various  tribes,  to  come  to  the  same  place,  and  where  all 
the  militia  of  the  province^  had  assembled,  and  while  pro- 
fessing to  practice  some  sham  evolutions,  the  Indians  were 
suddenly  surrounded  and  captured.  Many  of  the  prisoners 
so  treacherously  obtained  were  executed,  and  others  sold 
into  slavery  for  having  been  in  arms  against  the  whites. 

Although  Wonnolancet  and  his  tribe  were  discharged,' this 
breach  of  faith  must  have  taught  him  that  he  could  not  rely 
on  the  white  man's  promise,  and  that  neither  he  nor  his  tribe 
was  safe  on  the  Merrimac.  With  this  feeling  he,  with  a 
part  of  them,  left  for  Canada  in  the  autumn  of  1677.  Al- 
though he  subsequently  returned  to  visit  his  former  hunting 
and  fishing  grounds,  his  real  home  was,  for  the  remainder 
of  his  life,  near  Quebec,  and  he  with  his  band  became  the 
nucleus  uf  the  Indian  settlement  there ;  but  it  is  not  appar- 
ent that  he  was  at  any  period  the  enemy  of  the  English. 

In  the  course  of  the  war,  nearly  all  the  tribes  in  New 
England  had  been  more  or  less  involved  in  it.  The  colo- 
nists now  looked  upon  them  as  a  conquered  race  of  heathen, 
and  that  their  duty  was  to  drive  them  out,  and  enjoy  Ifieir 
lands  in  the  manner  of  the  Israelites  of  old.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  Indians  who  had  made  terms  of  peace,  having 
now  for  the  first  time  realized  that  they  had  not  the  ability 
to  cope  with  the  English  in  war,  and  could  not  trust  their 
friendship  in  peace,  naturally  looked  to  the  French  as  the 
protectors  of  their  villages  and  hunting  grounds.    Many  of 


10 


THE   ABENAKI   INDIANS. 


them  were  willing  to  place  themselves  and  their  families  un- 
der their  care. 

Therefore  the  Jesuits,  who  had  for  a  long  time  been  their 
spiritual,  and  often  their  temporal  advisers,  began  to  turn 
the  steps  of  the  broken  and  scattered  remnants  of  the 
tribes  who  had  suffered  most  in  the  war,  to  the  feeble  set- 
tlement of  the  Pennacooks,  r^ar  Quebec,  and  as  early  as 
1685,  the  Governor  of  that  colony  granted  a  tract  of  land 
at  a  place  called  COte  de  Lauzon,  opposite  that  city,  for 
their  use.  Up  to  the  commencement  of  the  war,  a  consid- 
erable number  of  Indians  had  continued  to  reside  on  the 
Connecticut  river,  above  Northampton;  they  had  fought 
against  the  whites,  and  at  the  death  of  Philip,  fled  and  took 
up  their  abode  at  Scauticook,  above  Albany,  and  were  after- 
wards increased  by  additions  from  other  tribes. 

After  a  few  years,  the  p-overnment  of  New  York  became 
desirous  of  being  rid  of  uch  neighbors,  whom  they  could 
not  trust  or  control,  and  ii  luced  them  to  remove  to  Canada, 
where  most  of  them  were  ittled  before  the  close  of  that 
centmy,  with  or  near  the  P  nnacooks. 

Early  in  the  eighteenth  3ntury,  the  numbers  of  refugee 
Indians  attracted  the  atte  ion  of  the  Governor  of  Canada, 
and  as  the  whole  of  the  T  ench  population  of  that  colony 
did  not  then  number  ten  thousand  souls,  he  saw  they  would 
materially  add  to  the  strength  of  his  command,  and  could 
be  used  most  effectually  against  the  frontiers  of  New  Eng- 
land. Ke  therefore  took  measures  to  give  them  a  home 
ther#.  As  the  grant  near  Quebec  was  found  not  adapted  to 
their  needs  and  condition,  probably  from  its  close  contigu- 
ity to  that  city,  two  convenient  tracts  of  land  were  granted 
for  their  use;  the  first  bears  date  Aug.  23,  1700,  the  sec- 
ond. May  10,  1701.  These  were  on  the  St.  Francis  river, 
which  has  given  a  name  to  the  tribe.  In  1704  another  set- 
tlement of  refugees  from  New  England  received  a  grant  of 


,  i:i 


THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


11 


^ 


land  at  a  place  called  Begancour,  near  Three  Rivers,  and 
during  this  year  the  Governor  addressed  a  letter  to.  the 
ministry  in  France,  giving  his  reasons  for  inducing  the  Aben- 
akis  to  settle  in  his  colony,  and  from  this  period  it  was  a 
constant  policy  to  encourage  their  immigration  there,  for 
more  than  lialf  a  century. 

Here  was  the  place  where  parties  were  to  be  fitted  out 
to  carry  war,  destruction,  and  misery  to  the  frontiers  of 
New  England. 

In  1704  these  Indians  piloted  a  body  of  French  to  the 
vicinity  of  their  former  homes,  on  the  Connecticut,  and  en- 
tirely destroyed  Dccrfield.  TRe  writer  not  long  since  con- 
versed with  an  ancient  member  of  this  tribe,  who  claimed 
to  be  thd  great  grandson  of  Esther  Williams,  daughter  of 
Rev.  John  Williams,  who  was,  with  his  family,  captured  at 
that  time.  In  1707  this  tribe,  piloted  by  the  Pennacooks 
down  the  Merrimac,  destroyed  Haverhill,  murdering  and 
capturing  most  of  its  inhabitants.  It  would  fill  a  volume 
to  relate  the  bloody  tragedies  acted  and  instigated  by  this 
tribe ;  it  seems  almost  incredible  that  any  people  could  ex- 
ist for  a  generation  amidst  such  repeated  incursions  of  a 
relentless  enemy. 

In  November,  1724,  Vaudreuil,  Governor  General  of  Can- 
ada, addressed  an  urgent  letter  to  the  Minister  of  War  in 
France,  giving  an  account  of  the  attack  on  Norridgewock, 
and  the  death  of  Father  Rasle,  with  a  full  account  of  the 
losses  and  sufferings  of  that  tribe,  and  asking  for  a  grant 
of  ammunition,  guns,  and  blankets  to  supply  their  losses, 
and  enable  them  to  make  war  on  the  English  settlements. 
He  also  gives  a  particular  account  of  the  condition  of  the 
Abenakis,  and  says,  "  of  all  the  Indians  in  New  France,  they 
are  in  a  position  to  render  the  most  service;  this  nation 
consists  of  five  villages,  which  number,  altogether,  about 
five  hundred  warriors.    Two  of  these  villages  are  situated 


ii 


12 


THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


m 
I 


on  the  St.  Lawrence,  near  Three  Rivers  —  one  below  that 
town  called  Be9ancour,  the  other  ten  leagues  above,  called 
St.  Francis,  the  three  others  are  in  the  direction  of  Acadie, 
called  Narantsouak,  on  the  River  Kanibekky,  Panagamsd^, 
on  the  Pentagouet  (Penobscot),  and  Medocteck,  on  the  Riv- 
er St.  John.  These  three  villages  have  different  routes, 
each  by  its  own  river,  whereby  they  can  reach  Quebeck  in 
a  few  days."  ^ 

In  April,  1725,  a  delegation  of  three  gentlemen  visited 
Montreal  with  a  letter  from  the  Governor  of  Massachusetts, 
in  reply  to  one  addressed  to  him  some  months  previously 
by  M.  Vaudreuil,  relative  to  4he  attack  at  Norridgewock, 
and  the  death  of  Father  Rasle.  They  demanded  that  the 
prisoners  held  by  the  Abenakis  should  be  given,  up,  and  a 
perpetual  peace  established. 

The  Indians,  who  were  entirely  under  the  influence  of  the 
French,  were  extremely  haughty  in  their  language  and  de- 
portment ;  they  demanded  that  the  English  should  restore 
their  lands,  rebuild  their  church,  which  they  had  destroyed 
at  Norridgewock,  and  when  asked  what  land  they  referred 
to,  said  "  that  their  land  commenced  at  the  River  Gounito- 
gon,  otherwise  called  the  long  river,  ^  which  lies  to  the  west 
beyond  Boston,  that  this  river  was  formeriy  the  boundary 
which  separated  the  lands  of  the  Iroquois  from  those  of 
the  Abenakis,  that  according  to  this  boundary,  Boston  and 
the  greater  part  of  the  English  settlements  east  of  it  are 
in  Abenakis'  lands  j  that  they  would  be  justified  in  telling 
them  to  quit  there,  but  that  they  had  considered  that  their 
settlements  were  established  and  that  they  were  still  in- 
clined to  tolerate  them ;  but  they  demanded  as  an  express 
condition  of  peace  that  the  English  should  abandon  the 

1  See  N.  Y.  Colonial  Documents,  edited  by  ]E.  B.  O'Calligan,  LL.  D. 

a  Undoubtedly  the  Connecticut.  ^"^ 


THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


13 


country  from  one  lei^e  beyond  Saco  River  to  Port  Royal, 
which  was  the  line  separating  the  lands  of  the  Abenakis  from 
those  of  the  Micmaks."  ^ 

The  Abenakis  denied  that  they  had  ever  sold  any  land  to 
the  English,  and  when  the  latter  claimed  that  much  of  it 
was  theirs  by  a  possession  of  more  than  eighty  years,  and 
that  this  possession  gave  them  a  title,  the  Indians  replied, 
"  We  were  in  possession  before  you,  for  we  have  held  it 
from  time  immemorial."  The  English  delegates  conceded 
that  they  did  not  claim  beyond  the  west  bank  of  the  Narant- 
souak  (Kennebec),  and  that  the  fort  at  St.  George  was  built 
not  by  them,  but  by  the  government  of  Port  Royal. 

The  meeting  seems  to  have  been  unsatisfactory  to  the 
delegation,  and  no  treaty  or  arrangement  was  made.  The 
French  governor  denied  that  they  had  furnished  the  Indians 
with  arms,  or  instigated  them  to  attack  the  English,  although 
Vaudreuil's  letters  to  his  government  in  France  bear  abund- 
ant evidence  that  this  was  his  constant  policy. 

In  the  treaty  with  many  of  the  tribes,  held  at  Deerfield 
in  1735,  the  St.  Francis  Indians  were  represented,  and 
agreed  to  the  arrangement  for  perpetual  peace ;  but  a  few 
years  elapsed  before  they  were  again  engaged  in  their 
bloody  pastime.  War  was  declared  against  France  in  1744, 
and  the  Abenakis  were  soon  hovering  on  the  frontiers.  In 
1746,  Kecne  and  Concord,  in  New  Hampshire,  felt  their 
power,  and  many  captives  were  carried  to  Canada.  In  1752 
Oapt.  Phineas  Stevens  proceeded  to  Canada,  as  a  delegate 
from  the  governor  of  Massachusetts,  to  confer  with  the 
Abenakis,  and  to  redeem  some  prisoners  they  had  in  their 
possession.  At  a  conference  had  with  them  in  the  presence 
of  the  governor  of  Canada,  Atewaneto,  the  chief  speaker, 
made  an  eloquent  reply,  in  which  he  charged'  the  English 
with  trespassing  on  their  lands :  he  said,  "  We  acknowledge 

^  N.  Y.  Colonial  Documents,  vol.  ix. 
le 


14 


THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


no  Other  land  of  yours  than  your  settlements,  wherever  you 
have  built,  and  we  will  not  consent,  under  any  pretext,  that 
you  pass  beyond  them.  The  lands  we  possess  have  been 
given  us  by  the  Great  Master  of  Life,  we  acknowledge  to 
hold  only  from  him." 

In  1755  they  were  again  in  the  field,  and  followed  the 
French  armies  to  the  head  of  Lake  George,  and  carried 
terror  into  the  new  townships  on  the  Connecticut  river. 
Some  of  their  small  parties  at  that  late  day  penetrated 
within  sixty  miles  of  the  capital  of  New  England.  But 
these  long  continued  aggressions  were  soon  to  meet  a  fear- 
ful retribution.  The  capture  of  Quebec,  which  gave  North 
America  to  England,  had  changed  the  relation  of  the  Aben- 
akis.  Capt.  Kennedy  having  been  sent  to  their  villages 
with  a  flag  of  truce,  was,  with  his  whole  party,  made  pris- 
oners. To  chastise  them  for  this  outrage,  as  well  as  to 
retaliate  for  their  continued  cruelty  and  murders  on  the  de- 
fenseless frontier  settlements.  Gen.  Amherst  dispatched  the 
celebrated  Major  Rogers  with  a  detachment  of  his  rangers 
to  the  villages  on  the  St.  Francis.  Just  before  daybreak, 
on  the  fifth  of  October,  he  surprised  and  killed  at  least  two 
hundred  Indians,  and  burnt  all  their  wigwams,  plunder,  and 
effects.  Rogers  in  his  journal  says :  "  To  my  own  knowl- 
edge, in  six  years'  time,  the  St.  Francis  Indians  had  killed 
and  carried  into  captivity  on  the  frontiers  of  New  England, 
four  hundred  persons ;  we  found  in  the  town,  hanging  on 
poles  over  the  doors  &c.,  about  six  hundred  scalps,  mostly 
English." 

The  power  of  the  tribe  for  evil  was  gone,  and  we  hear 
no  more  of  them  till  the  Revolution,  when  their  warriors 
followed  Burgoyne  to  Saratoga,  where  they  again  used  the 
tomahawk  and  scalping  knife,  but  when  his  fortunes  began  to 
wane,  they  retired  to  the  banks  of  the  St.  Lawrence.  Again 
in  the  war  of  1812,  they  joined  the  English,  but  their  num- 


mn 


THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


15 


bers  were  few,  and  after  a  brief  campaign,  they,  for  the 
last  time,  retraced  their  steps  to  their  own  homes. 

A  few  more  remarks  will  close  the  history  of  this  tribe, 
once  the  terror  of  New  England. 

The  present  condition  of  the  Abenakis  is  given  in  a  re- 
port made  in  1858  to  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  Canada. 
This  states  that  the  tribe  on  the  St.  Francis  has  diminished 
to  three  hundred  and  eighty- seven  persons ;  they  live  mainly 
by  agriculture,  but  everything  is  done  in  so  rude  a  way,  that 
they  gather  but  scanty  crops.  Part  of  them,  through  the 
exertions  of  one  of  their  own  number,  have  been  induced 
to  discard  their  ancient  faith,  and  are  now  professed  Metho- 
dists. This  change  has  involved  the  tribe  in  continual  feuds 
and  difficulties,  which  will  prevent  any  improvement,  and 
will  probably  lead  to  a  permanent  division  and  removal  of 
one  of  the  parties.  They  often  undergo  much  privation  for 
want  of  proper  food  and  other  necessaries  of  life.  The 
portion  of  the  tribe  at  Begancour  presents  a  still  more  de- 
graded condition.  There  remain  but  thirty  families,  in  all 
one  hundred  and  seventy-two  individuals.  They  still  re- 
main Roman  Catholics,  have  no  schools,  and  seem  to  have 
reached  the  extreme  of  misery  and  destitution,  and  so  com- 
pletely have  this  people  intermixed,  that  their  missionary 
writes,  "he  does  not  know  of  a  single  pure  Abenaki  among 
them." 

The  vocabulary  now  published  is  copied  from  a  small 
volume  printed  about  thirty  years  ago,  entitled  "  Wobanaki 
Kimzowi  Awighigan,"  i.  e.  Abenaki  Spelling  Book.  It  was 
procured  by  the  writer  with  much  difficulty,  as  it  was  the 
only  copy  that  could  be  obtained  among  them.  It  is  sup- 
posed by  those  qualified  to  judge,  to  be  a  fair  specimen  of 
the  dialect  formerly  spoken  on  the  Androscoggin  and  Ken- 
nebec, although  there  are  in  it  many  words  originally  bor- 
rowed from  the  French  and  English.     From  a  memorandum 


hk 


'lis 


iii 


w 


THE  AEESAM  INDIANS. 


made  when  with  them  a  fei?  jears  once,  the  name  of  their 
tribe,  as  near  as  can  be  written  and  pronounced  in  English, 
is  WBanankee,  accenting  the  last  syllabk. 

The  treaties,  now  for  the  first  time  printed,  are  copied 
from  the  original  in  the  possession  of  the  writer;  they  will 
be  perused  with  pleasure  by  those  interested  in  antiquarian 
researches.  But  at  the  present  day  it  is  difficult  to  realize 
the  interest  which  these  proceedings  and  documents  excited ; 
they  were  often  considered  almost  a  matter  of  life  or  death 
to  the  frontier  settlers.  It  is  apparent  that  eyery  chief  had 
then  his  peculiar  totem,  or  symbol.  At  a  later  period  this 
system  was  abandoned,  and  they  used  only  a  simple  cross. 
Among  the  chiefs  who  signed,  is  to  be  found  the  totem  of 
Bombazeen  and  some  others,  whose  names  &re  perpetuated 
in  history  for  their  bloody  exploits.  The  autographs  an- 
nexed show  the  names  of  men  then  prominent  in  both  prov- 
inces, and  some  of  them  afterwards  attained  the  highest 
positions  in  political  life. 

The  vocabularies  and  treaties  are  now  submitted  for  pub- 
lication by  request  of  the  Maine  Historical  Society. 

Boston,  August,  1859. 


VOCABULASr  OF  THE  ABENAS3  INDIANS. 


17 


EXTRACTS  FROM  A  SPELLING-BOOK  IN  THE  ABENAKI  LANGUAGE. 


PUBLISHED  IN  BOSTON  IN  1830,  AND  CALLED   «KIMZOWI  AWIOHIGAN,"   THE 
LAST  WORD  BEING  THE  TERM  FOR  BOOK. 


The  sounds  of  the  vowels  are  represented  in  English  ac- 
cording to  the  following  scheme. 


Vowels. 
A  a 
E  e 
I  1 
0  0 
U    u 


Sounded. 
as  a  in  father,  psalm, 
as  e  in  met,  or  in  accident, 
as  ee  in  seen,  or  i  in  machine. 
as  0  in  note. 

as  u  in  tube,  cube ;  also  used  af- 
ter g,  as  in  language, 
as  %l  in  cup,  sun. 


Nasal. 

Q    Q 

Dipthongs. 

Ai  ai 

as  i  in  pine,  nine. 

Au  an 

Names 

as  oiD  or  ou  in  how,  thou 

1 

Consonants. 

Consonants. 

Names. 

B    b 

bi 

N    n 

ni 

D     d 

di 

P    P 

Pi 

G    g 

gi 

S    s 

si 

H    h 

hi 

T    t 

ti 

J     J 

ji 

W  w 

wi 

K    k 

ki 

Z     z 

Zl 

L     1 

li 

CHch 

cfii 

M   m 

mi 

• 

ft    I  . 


18 


YOCABULART  OF  THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


til 


[■ 


Ghols  —  cricket 

kots  —  goat 

kask  —  cap 

pots  —  boot 

mskakw  —  swamp 

nbes  —  lake 

mskask  —  spruce 

paks — box 

mke  zen  —  shoe 

sop  —  soap 

sen —  stone 

tlaps  —  trap 

win — marrow 

wchat  —  sinew 

wli  —  good 

ne  bi — water 

cha  kwa  —  this  morning 

chi  ga  —  when 

chbi  wi  —  apart 

chig  naz — thorn  plum 

cho  wi— must  be,  certain 

pa  skwa — noon 

planikw — flying  squirrel 

pi  han  —  rope 

psig  ia  —  half 

kokw — kettle 

kogw — porcupine 

pins  —  pin 

skog  —  snake 

piz  —  pea 

nbis  —  little  water 

pigs  — hog 

moz  —  moose 

kwat  —  cup 


swip  — jew 

sips  —  a  fowl 

wins  —  black  birch 

wskan  —  bone 

a  sokw  —  cloud 

wkot  —  leg 

cha  kwat  —  daylight 

cha  ga  —  now  then 

chi  bai  —  ghost 

chog  liiskw  —  black  bird 

chan  naps  —  turnip 

chbo  sa — walks  apart 

pne  kgkw  —  sandy  hill 

po  bakw« —  a  bog 

pe  guis  —  a  gnat 

psi  gaskw  —  board 

psan  ta  —  full 

to  son  —  a  shed 

ta  lin  —  earthen  basin 

sko  tam  —  trout 

ski  ia  —  raw 

o-kwa  —  maggot 

ska  mon  —  corn. 

ska  kwam  —  green  stick 

mski  ko  —  grass 

psa  na  wi — full  of 

ab  on  —  cake 

as  ma  —  not  yet 

a  ses  — -  horse 

akw  bi  —  rum 

a  wip  —  pith 

a  la  —  or 

ap  les  —  apple 

ak  ikw  —  seal 


YOCABULABT   OF  THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


19 


as  ban  —  raccoon 

al  wa  —  almost 

ki  kgn  —  field 

ko  wa  —  pine  tree 

ki  zos  —  sun 

kda  hla  —  it  sinks 

ka  ia  —  thick  milk 

kchim  li  —  chimney 

kchin  bcs  —  great  lako 

psau  ba  —  full 

psa  nikw  —  black  squirrel 

sig  wit  —  widower 

ska  hla  —  raw  hide 

te  go  —  wave 

ski  bakw  —  green  leaf 

ska  wakw  —  fresh  meat  • 

mska  ta  —  lily  root 

msko  da  —  prairie 

kzab  da  —  hot 

ab  on  —  bed 

as  kan  —  horn 

al  akws  —  star 

al  ikws  —  pismire 

am  kwon  —  spoon 

ag  askw  —  woodchuck 

a  zip  —  sheep 

ak  sen  —  ox 

a  kwan  —  bitter,  acrid 

kas  ko  —  crane 

pe  laz  —  pigeon 

kas  ta  —  how  many  times 

ka  oz  —  cow 

ka  akw  —  gull 

ko  jo  —  vein 


kchi  ttikw  —  great  river 

ki  zokw  —  day 

wo  wan  —  an  egg 

wa  bi  —  buttock 

wi  bit  —  tooth 

wdel  li  —  shoulder 

wiich  gl  —  nose 

wig  bi  —  stringy  bark 

wle  guan  —  wing 

wa  japkw  —  root 

wcha  too  —  sinewy 

wskat  gua — forehead 

wli  gen  —  good 

wi  noz  —  onion 

wo  bi  —  white 

wa  guan — heel 

wut  tep  —  head 

wta  wakw  —  ear 

wsi  sukw  —  eye 

wdo  lo  —  kidney 

wig  worn  —  house,  camp 

wa  dap  —  root  to  sew  with 

Wdg  wg  —  Autawa  Indian 

wut  tiin  —  mouth 

wji  ia  —  belonging  to 

wlo  gas  —  leather  string 

wla  nikw  —  fisher 

wikw  kwa  —  thigh 

wa  chil  —  oak  nut 

wha  gakw  —  a  scalp 

wha  ga — body 

wpa  uak  —  lights 

wa  laskw  —  husk 

wgl  kaa  —  hollow  place 


20 


YOCABULART  OF  THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


itt 


wzfikw  na  —  tail 

wi  zi  —  gall,  bile 

Wo  boz  —  elk 

wokw  sea  —  fox 

wi  08  —  flesh 

ma  wia — better 

sog  mo — chief 

a  wan  —  air 

ki  zi  —  already 

msi  wi  —  largely 

wski  a — new 

sikw  hla  —  hail 

kwa  nak  —  length 

ta  bat — enough 

mat  guas  —  rabbit 

mkwi  gen  —  red 

tau  bo  gan  —  large  trough 

tlap  so  bi  —  trap  chain 

ska  ho  gan — a  forked  post 

wlag  zi  —  bowels 

wa  jo  —  mountain 

wji  gon  —  desolate  camp 

wdol  ka — breast,  stomach 

wi  ka  —  fat 

wlo  da  — ^hot  weather 

wo  lakw — hole 

wja  kwam — but  end 

wlom  ka  —  fine  grainy 

wski  gen  — young  vegetable 

wzi  dakw — ^^  handle 

wne  kikw  —  otter 

wagin  —  wagon 

pil  tal  —  lead 

.kchiia  —  aged  person 


pa  gon  —  nut 

a  chi  —  also 

ngon  ia — old 

mo  gis  —  monkey 

wdtip  kwan — hair 

wa  ji  —  for,  to 

so  ga  —  lobster 

piz  wat  —  good  for  nothing 

klo  gan  —  door 

tip  wa  bel  —  pepper 

ska  wo  gan —  standing 

skip  wo  gan —  eating  raw 

chi  to  ba  hi  gan  -^  a  wedge 

chi  ba  gi  no  guat — looks  very 

bad 
chi  ba  i  skwet  ta — ignis  fatuus 
chi  git  wa  hi  gan  —  razor 
pi  mi  zig  ni  gan  —  withe 
pok  ja  na  hwi  ka  —  stumpy 
psakw  dam  ni  mo  zi  -^  black- 
berry bush 
tbo  bak  hi  gan — pair  of  scales, 

steelyard 
ska  mon  ta  hi  gan  —  corn  meal 
skas  kwat  si  gan  —  green  dye 
a  lo  ka  wo  gan  —  a  work,  la- 
bor 
al  no  ba  wo  gan  —  human  na- 
ture, birth  ♦ 
sa  no  ba  wo  gan  —  manhood 
a  za  wa  skwi  gen  —  square 
a  ba  kwa  wo  gan  —  act  of  cov- 
ering with  a  roof 
a  ses  si  ga  mikw  —  stable 


TOGABULART  OF  THB  ABMAKI  INDIANS. 


21 


am  kwo  ni  no  da— spoon 

basket 
a  ses  wo  bi  al  —  harness 
a  za  to  i  wi  —  backwards 
kin  ja  mes  wo  gan  —  majesty 
ka  dos  mo  wo  gan  —  act  of 

drinking,  a  drink 
kba  hod  wi  ga  mikw  — jail 
ki  wi  tarn  wo  gan — hint 
ki  ta  das  wo  gan  —  act  of 

sharpening  by  grinding 
ki  no  ho  ma  sin  —  preaching 
kin  ja  mes  sis  kwa  —  queen 
ka  0  zi  ga  mikw  —  barn 
ka  wzo  wah  di  gan  —  sleigh 
ka  sij  wa  hi  gan  —  dish  towel 
po  da  wa  wo  gan  —  act  of 

blowing 
po  lo  ba  wo  gan  —  pride 
piz  wa  gi  zo  —  he  reads  for 

nothing 
pi  da  hla  guo  gan  —  scabbard 
pkwes  sa  ga  hi  gan  —  key 
po  ba  tam  wo  gan  —  religion 
po  ba  tam  win  no  —  religious 

person 
pa  pa  hwij  wi  ia —  tin 
pa  pa  hwij  wi  jo  —  tin  basin 


pa  pi  tom  ko  gan  —  a  play- 

thing 
nkes  kog  wo  gan  —  nightmare 
ni  mat  gua  hi  gan  —  a  fork 
no  da  hla  go  kat  —  black- 
smith 
no  ji  mo  ni  kat  —  silversmith 
no  ji  pak  si  kat  —  box  maker 
no  da  wig  hi  gat  —  notary, 

writer 
no  ji  na  mas  kat. —  fisher 
no  da  ma  guo  gan  —  spear 
0  lo  wat  si  gan  —  blue  dye 
o  do  lib  io  gan  —  oar 
po  da  woz  win  no  —  counsel- 
lor 
po  da  waz  wo  gan  —  council 
mos  kwal  dam  wo  gan  —  an- 
ger 
mi  ga  ka  wo  gan  —  act  of 

fighting 
mka  za  wat  si  gan  —  copper- 
as 
si  gua  na  hi  gan  —  skim-milk 
tmo  kwa  ta  hi  gan  —  sword 
les  sa  ga  hi  gan  —  trunk 
wi  la  wig  win  no  —  rich  per- 
son 


22 


TREATIES   WITH  THE  ABENAKI  INDUNS. 


INDIAN    TREATIES. 


i 


At  Portsmouth,  in  her  Maj*y'»  Province  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, in  New  England,  the  thirteenth  day  of  July,  in  the 
twelfth  year  of  the  Reign  of  our  Sovereign  Lady  Anne,  by 
the  Grace  of  God,  of  Great  Britain,  France,  and  Ireland, 
Queen,  Defender  of  the  faith,  &c.  [1713] 


THE  SUBMISSION  AND  AGREEMENT  OF  THE  EASTERN  INDIANS. 

Whereas  for  some  years  last  past  We  have  made  a  breach 
of  our  Fidelity  and  Loyalty  to^  the  Crowns  of  Great  Brit- 
ain, and  have  made  open  Rebellion  against  her  Maj^y'^  Sub- 
jects,  the  English  inhabitants  in  the  Massachusetts,  New 
Hampshire,  and  other  of  her  Maj^y'^  Territories  in  New 
England,  and  being  now  sensible  of  the  miseryes  which  We 
&  our  people  are  reduced  thereunto  thereby.  We  whose 
names  are  here  subscribed,  being  Delegates  of  all  the 
Indians  belonging  to  Norrigawake,  Narrakamegock,  Amasa- 
contoog,  Pigwocket,  Penecook,  &  to  all  other  Indian  Plant- 
ations situated  on  the  Rivers  of  St.  Johns,  Penobscot, 
Kenybcck,  Amascogon,  Saco,  &  Mcrimack,  &  all  other  Indian 
Plantations  lying  between  the  s^' Rivers  of  St.  Johns  and 
Merimack,  Parts  of  her  Maj*y'»  Provinces  of  the  Massachu- 
sets  Bay  and  New  Hampshire,  within  her  Maj^y'^  Sovereignty, 
having  made  application  to  his  Excellency,  Joseph  Dudley, 
Esq"*,  Captain  General  &  Govern'  in  Chief  in  and  over  the 
gd  Provinces,  That  the  Troubles  which  we  have  unhappily 
raised  or  occasioned  against  her  Maj*y's  subjects,  the  English, 
&  ourselves,  may  cease  &  have  an  end,  &  that  we  may 
enjoy  her  Maj^y'^  Grace  &  Favor,  and.  each  of  us  Respect- 
ively, for  ourselves  &  in  the  name  &  with  the  free  consent 
of  all  the  Indians  belonging  to  the  several  Rivers  and  places 


TREATIES   WITH  THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


23 


aforesaid,  &  all  other  Indiaus  within  the  b^  Provinces  of  the 
Massachusetts  Bay  and  New  Hampshire,  hereby  acknowl- 
edging ourselves  the  lawfuU  subjects  of  our  Sovereign  Lady, 
(4uf)on  Anne,  and  promising  our  hearty  Subjection  &  Obedi- 
ance  urit'  the  Crown  of  Great  Britain,  doe  solemnly  Cove- 
nant, promise,  &  agree  to  &  with  the  s^  Joseph  Dudley, 
Esq.,  Govern'",  and  all  such  as  shall  hereafter  be  in  the 
place  of  Capt.  General  and  Govern  >*  in  Chief  of  the  afore- 
said Provinces  or  territories  on  her  Maj'y'"  belialf,  in  man- 
ner following.     That  is  to  say : 

That  at  all  times  forever,  from  and  after  the  date  of  these 
presents,  we  will  cease  and  forbear  all  acts  of  hostility  to- 
ward all  the  subjects  of  the  crown  of  Great  Britain,  and 
not  to  oflFer  the  least  hurt  or  violence  to  them  or  any  of  them 
in  their  persons  or  estates,  but  will  honor,  forward,  hold,  & 
maintain  a  firm  &  constant  amity  &  friendship  with  all  the 
English,  and  will  not  entertain  any  Treasonable  Conspiracy 
with  any  other  Nation  to  their  Disturbance. 

That  her  Maj^y'^  Subjects,  the  English,  shall  &  may  peace- 
ably &  quietly  enter  upon,  improve,  &  forever  enjoy,  all  and 
singular  their  Rights  of  Land  &  former  Settlements,  Prop- 
erties, &  possesions,  within  the  Eastern  Parts  of  the  %^ 
Provinces  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  and  New  Hampshire, 
together  with  all  the  Islands,  Islets,  Shoars,  Beaches,  & 
Fisheries  within  the  same,  without  any  molestation  or  claims 
by  us  or  any  other  Indians,  And  be  in  no  wais  molested,  in- 
terrupted, or  disturbed  therein.  Saving  unto  the  s^  Indians 
their  own  Grounds,  &  free  liberty  for  Hunting,  Fishing, 
Fowling,  and  all  other  their  Lawful  Liberties  &  Privileges, 
as  on  the  Eleventh  day  of  August,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
God  One  thousand  six  hundred  &  ninety-three. 

That  for  mutual  Safety  &  Benefit,  all  Trade  &  Comerce 
which  hereafter  may  be  allowed  betwixt  the  English  & 
Indians  shall  be  in  such  places  &  under  such  management  & 


24 


TREAllES  WITH  THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


regulations  as  shall  be  stated  by  her  Maj*y''  Governments  of 
the  s<*  Provinces  respectively.  And  to  prevent  mischiefs  & 
inconveniencies  the  Indians  shall  not  be  allowed,  for  the 
present,  &  until  they  have  liberty  from  the  respective  Gov- 
ernments, to  come  near  to  any  English  Plantations  or  Set- 
tlements on  this  side  of  Saco  River* 

That  if  any  Controversy  or  DiflFerence  at  any  time  here- 
after happen  to  arise  betwixt  any  of  the  English  or  Indians, 
for  any  real  or  supposed  wrong  or  injury  done  on  the  one 
side  or  the  other,  no  Private  Revenge  shall  be  taken  by  the 
Indians  for  the  same,  but  proper  application  shall  be  made 
to  her  Maj*y's  Government,  upon  the  place,  for  remedy  there- 
of, in  our  Course  of  Justice,  We  hereby  submitting  ourselves 
to  be  ruled  &  Governed  by  her  Maj*y'3  Laws,  &  desire  to 
have  the  protection  &  benefit  of  the  same. 

We  confess  that  we  have,  contrary  to  all  faith  and  justice, 
brokem  our  articles  with  S^  William  Phipps,  Governour, 
made  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  God  1693,  and  with  the  Earl 
of  Bellemont,  Govern ',  made  in  the  year  of  our  Lord  God 
1699,  And  the  assurance  we  gave  to  his  Excellency,  Joseph 
Dudley,  Esq'"®,  Governor,  in  -the  years  of  our  Lord  God 
1702,  in  the  month  of  August,  and  1703,  in  the  month  of 
July,  notwithstanding  we  have  been  well  treated  by  the  s  * 
Governors ;  and  we  resolve  for  the  future  not  to  be  drawn 
into  any  perfidious  Treaty  or  Correspondence,  to  the  hurt 
of  any  of  the  subjects  of  her  Maj'y  the  Queen  of  Great 
Britain,  and  if  we  know  of  any  such  we  will  seasonably  re- 
veal it  to  the  English. 

Wherefore,  we  whose  names  are  hereunto  subscribed, 
Delegates  for  the  several  tribes  of  the  Indians,  belonging 
unto  the  River  of  Kenybeck,  Amarascogen,  St.  Johns,  Saco, 
&  Merrimac,  &  parts  adjacent,  being  sensible  of  our  great 
offence  &  folly  in  not  complying  with  the  afores**  Submission 
&  agreements,  and  also  of  the  sufferings  &  mischiefs  that 


TREATIES  UriTH  THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


25 


we  have  thereby  exposed  ourselves  unto,  do,  in  all  humble 
&  submisive  manner,  cast  ourselves  upon  her  Maj*y'8  mercy 
for  the  pardon  of  all  our  past  rebellions,  hostilities,  and 
Violations  of  our  promises,  praying  to  be  received  unto  her 
Maj*y's  Grace  &  Protection.  And  for  &  on  behalfe  of  our- 
selves, and  of  all  other  the  Indians  belonging  to  the  several 
Rivers  and  places  afores  ^ ,  within  the  Sovereignty  of  her 
Maj*y  of  Great  Britain,  do  again  acknowledge  &  profess 
our  hearty  and  sinceer  obedience  unto  the  Crown  of  Great 
Britain,  and  do  solemnly  renew,  ratify,  and  confirm  all  & 
every  of  the  articles  &  agreements  contained  in  the  former 
and  present  submission. 

This  Treaty  to  be  humbly  laid  before  her  Maj*y,  for  her 
ratification  and  farther  orders.  In  Witness  whereof,  "We, 
the  Delegates  afore^**,  by  name,  Kireberuit,  Iteansis,  and 
Jackoit,  for  Penobscot,  Joseph  and  Eneas,  for  St.  Johns, 
Waracansit,  Wedaranaquin,  and  Bomoseen,  for  Kennebeck, 
have  hereunto  set  our  hands  &  seals,  the  day  and  year  fir,st 
above  written. 

Signed,  Sealed,  &  Delivered 

IN   THE   presence   OP 


Signum 


^v9/cM^ 


QUALEBEENEWES. 


|<:  i 


26 


TREATIES  WITH  THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


G^^SV^^^r^-^^ 


^y^:J_ 


Signum 


WARRAKANSIT. 


^T^^  y^    S  <^^^  »^>^> 


I 


BOMOSEEN. 


Signum 


WEDARANAQUIN. 


IT. 


) 


3N. 


IN. 


TREATIES  WITH  THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


27 


arc  clUlOAL^  ^Jo 


yj^i/^^ 


Signum 


ENEAS- 


ITEANSIS. 


28 


TREATIES  WITH  THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


Eh  m% 
¥m 


Signum 


^^Ae^T^ 


*^^t-^^i^  /  <v^^^^&i^ 


JACKOIT. 


^^^^^'^^^^^'^^^ 


Signum 


JOSEP. 


TREATIES  WITH  THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


V 


At  Portsmouth,  in  her  Maj  "e'^  Province  of  New  Hamp- 
shire,  in  New  England,  the  28th  Day  of  July,  in  the  thir- 
teenth  year  of  our  Sovereign  Lady  Anne,  by  the  Grace  of 
God,  of  Great  Britain,  France,  and  Ireland,  Queen,  Defend- 
er of  the  Faith,  &c.  [1714] 

The  several  Articles  of  the  foregoing  sheet,  after  a  long 
Conference  with  the  Delegates  of  the  Eastern  Indians,  were 
read  to  them,  &  the  sense  &  meaning  thereof  explained  by 
two  faithful,  sworn  Interpreters,  and  accordingly  signed  by 
every  of  the  Sachems  and  Delegates  that  were  not  present 
&  had  not  signed  the  last  year. 

In  the  Presence  of  his  Excellency  the  Govemour,  and  his 
Excellency  General  Nicholson,  &  the  Gentlemen  of  Her 
Maj*i®'8  Councills  for  the  Provinces  of  the  Massachusetts 
Bay  &  New  Hampshire,  <fe  other  Gentlemen. 
Signed,  Sealed,  &  Deliybbed 
IN  presence  of  us. 


PEQUARET 


Signum. 


¥ 


TREATIES  WITH  THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 

N£Gy»CAWH' 


'^^ie&^ 


PIERRE  ABINNAWAY. 


^-nxu 


Signum. 


7^71 


SCAWWEASE 


Signum. 


NUCTUNGUS 


QUINNAWUS 


QUIREBOOSET 


Signunu 


Signum. 


TREATIES  WITH  THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS.  ^1 

/(L    /C>J^,fJ>  ADDEAWANDO. 


Signum. 


SEGUNCEWICK 


/&rt&}^^fz^ 


KISSUBAGUNNIT 


PITTAURISQUANNE    cf- 


C^SAB  MOXUSSON 


EBIXIS 


Signum. 

Signum. 
Signum* 


Signum. 


^^^  Signum. 


ESTiEN     4^  V       Signum. 


WENEMOET 


«t5/ 


Signum. 


WOHONUMBAMET 


^j^  Signu.. 
SANBODDIES  f/)^    fl'^     Signum. 


«..j 


^2 


!.' 


M 


♦ 


TREATIES  WITH  THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 
TREATY  OF    1717. 


Georgetown,  on  Arrowsick  Island,  in  his  Majesty's  Prov- 
ince of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  New  England,  the  12th 
Day  of  August  1717,  in  the  fourth  year  of  the  Reign  of  our 
Sovereign  Lord  George,  by  the  Grace  of  God  of  Great 
Britain,  France  and  Ireland,  King,  Defender  of  the  Faith, 
<&c. 

"We,  the  Subscribers,  being  Sachems  and  Chief  men  of  the 
several  Tribes  of  Indians  belonging  to  Kennebcck,  Penob- 
scut,  Pegwackit,  Saco,  and  other,  the  Eastern  Parts  of  his 
Majesty's  Province  afores^,  having  had  the  several  Articles 
of  the  foregoing  Treaty  distinctly  read  and  Interpreted  to 
us  by  a  Sworn  Interpreter  at  this  time,  do  Approve  of.  Rec- 
ognize, Ratify,  and  Confirm  all  and  every  the  said  Articles, 
(excepting  only  the  fourth  and  fifth  articles,  which  relate 
to  the  restraint  and  limitation  of  Trade  and  Commerce, 
which  is  now  otherwise  managed.) 

And  whereas,  some  rash  and  inconsiderate  Persons 
amongst  us,  have  molested  some  of  our  good  fellow  Sub- 
jects, the  English,  in  the  Possession  of  their  Lands,  and 
otherwise  illtreated  them ;  —  We  do  disapprove  &  condemn 
the  same,  —  and  freely  consent  that  our  English  friends 
shall  possess,  enjoy  &  improve  all  the  Lands  which  they 
have  formerly  possessed,  and  all  which  they  have  obtained 
a  right  &  title  unto.  Hoping  it  will  prove  of  mutual  and 
reciprocal  benefit  and  advantage  to  them  &  us,  that  they 
Cohabit  with  us. 

In  testimony  and  perpetual  memory  whereof.  We  have 
hereunto  set  our  hands  &  seals,  in  behalf  of  ourselves  and 
of  the  several  Tribes  of  Indians  that  have  delegatedjus  to 
appear  for,  &  represent  them  the  day  and  year  aforemen- 
tioned. 

NUDGGUMBOIT      X   Sign. 
Abissanehraw  X  Sign.   ^  Kennebcck. 
Umguinnawas    X  Sign. 


TREATIES  WITH  THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


3^ 


AwoHAWAY    X  Sign. 
Paquahaeet 

C^SAB 


Lerebenuit      X  Sign. 

Ohanumbames 

Seounei 


X  Sign.  ) 

X  Sign.  V 

X  Sign.  ) 

X  Sign.  ) 

X  Sign.  5 

X  Sign.  ) 


Adeawando  X  Sign.  ) 
ScAWESo       X  Sign.  $ 

X  Sign. 


Kennebeck, 


Penobscut. 


Pegwackit, 


X  Sign. 


Moxus 

BOMMAZEEN 

Capt.  Sam  x  Sign. 

Nagucawen  X  Sign. 

SUMMEHAWIS  X    Sign. 

Wegwarumenet  X  Sign. 

Terramuggds.  X  Sign. 


Kennebeck. 


Sabadis  X  Sign.  >    . 

Sam  Humphries  X  Sign.  $  ^^^^rascogstn. 

Signed,  Sealed,  &  Delivered,  in  presence  op 

AuGusTiN  Moxus  son 


Sign. 


/l/i/CLa^M..j::*Su^^L^ 


Sarome. 


q/W^M 


Sign. 


J4 


TREATIES  WITH  THE  ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


^^^yp^L-^ 


Francois  Xavier 


'^Qg><€/c^^^ 


Sign. 


f]vL&)&\JU^  ^M^'^^HC^ 


c 


V 


Meconomba 


f^^- 


Sign. 


TKEATIES  WITH  THE   ABENAKI  INDIANS. 


*5 


T0TEJI3. 


The  figures  or  emblems  connected  with  the  signatures  of  the  Indians  are 
called,  in  the  language  of  the  Algonquins,  Totems ;  and  are  the  distinguihh- 
ing  marks  or  signs  of  the  clans  or  tribes  into  which  the  various  nations  are 
divided.  They  are  not  the  personal  emblems  of  the  chiefs,  although  in  sign- 
ing treaties  they  employ  them  as  their  sign  manual.  Each  tribe  or  clan  had 
its  emblem,  consisting  of  the  figure  of  some  bird,  beast,  or  reptile,  and  is 
distinguished  by  the  name  of  the  animal  which  it  has  assumed  as  a  device, 
as  Wolf,  Hawk,  Tortoise.  To  different  totems,  says  Parkman  in  his  "  Con- 
spiracy of  Pontiac,"  attach  different  degrees  of  rank  and  dignity ;  and  ihos<e 
of  the  Bear,  the  Tortoise,  and  the  Welfare  among  the  first  in  honor.  Each 
man  is  proud  of  his  badge,  jealously  asserting  its  claim  to  respect.  The  use 
of  the  totem  prevailed  among  the  southern,  as  well  as  the  northern  tribes ; 
Mr.  Parkman  says  that  Mr.  Gallatin  informed  him,  that  he  was  told  by  the 
chief  of  a  Choctaw  deputation  at  Washington,  that  in  their  tribe  were  eight 
totemic  clans,  divided  into  two  classes  of  four  each. 

Mr.  Parkman  says  again,  in  the  work  above  cited,  page  0,  "  But  the  main 
stay  of  the  Iroquois  polity  was  the  system  of  totemsliip.  It  was  this  which 
giive  the  structure  its  elastic  strength  ;  and  but  for  this,  a  mere  confederacy 
of  jealous  and  warlike  tribes  must  soon  have  been  rent  asunder  by  shocks 
from  without,  or  discord  from  within.  At  some  early  period  the  Iroquois 
must  have  formed  an  individual  nation ;  for  the  whole  people,  irrespective 
of  their  separation  into  tribes,  consisted  of  eight  totemic  clans ;  and  the 
members  of  each  clan,  to  what  nation  soever  they  belonged,  were  mutually 
bound  to  one  another  by  those  close  ties  of  fraternity  which  mark  this  singu- 
lar institution.  Thus  the  five  nations  of  the  confederacy  were  bound  to- 
gether by  an  eight-fold  band ;  and  to  this  hour  their  slender  remnants  cling 
to  one  another  with  invincible  tenacity."  w 


